Communiqué
Fall 2004
Communiqué
Fall 2004
A Tr i p l e C P u b l i c a t i o n
From Salwar to 3-Piece Suits
Working in Port Alberni, India and Vancouver
By Diana Leung
I remember describing
in my journal during
my first few hours in
India that nothing
looked “different,” yet
nothing looked
familiar. After arriving
at Sahar International
Airport in the hustle
and bustle of Mumbai
(formerly Bombay), it
would be a 30-hour
train ride before I
would reach my host
community atop the
Diana (left) gets a “snap” taken with an Indian dancer and friend Anju
Nilgiris Mountains.
For my first two co-op
terms, I joined Canada World Youth on a 7of young families and recently retired couples
month adventure to Port Alberni, BC and
with a handful of locally owned shops and a
Coonoor, Tamil Nadu (India). On my third
Sears Catalogue Outlet. Occasionally there
and fourth work terms, I traded in my salwar
would be children playing street hockey on
suit for desk space at Industry Canada.
paved and otherwise desolate streets. This is a
stark contrast to the narrow dirt roads and
During my first two co-op terms, my focus
skilled bus drivers who can dodge oncoming
was to learn about and work in sustainable
traffic and animals in Coonoor.
economic and social development projects. I
took part in medical camps, replanted native
During my first weeks in Coonoor, everyShola trees and created a brochure of
thing was spectacular. I remember the twowomen’s health resources, among other
storey high, plywood cutout of a Tamil movie
projects. There were, of course, less glamorstar who seemed to watch over me in the
ous, more humbling tasks like cleaning
open market on my way to work. The novelty
bathrooms at Port Alberni’s Fall Fair to fund
never went away. Even after I settled into a
the local crisis line, or doing laundry manuroutine life, I would be reminded of my
ally by the vat for a seniors’ home.
“foreignness” when strangers took snaps
(photos) with me or when locals approached
Living in Port Alberni was much like living
in most Canadian small cities: neighbourhoods
continued on page 3
Inside
Co-op Community
2
From School to Work
4
Where Are They Now? 6
Meet the Faculty
7
Survey Says
8
Statistics Corner
8
Contacts
8
Triple C, also known
as the Communication
Co-op Committee, is a
volunteer student group
that connects co-op
students and promotes
SFU Co-op.
1
Communiqué
Fall 2004
Co-op Learning Community
Introducing a new Co-op resource for students
By Willow Johnson, Student Community Host, Our Co-op Learning Community
Imagine this familiar scenario: you have been
short-listed with a co-op employer and it is
the night before your big interview. In the
past, you may have consulted your BOL
guidebooks or reviewed handouts you
received in your “Interviews” workshop to
brush up on some of your general interviewing skills.
Now, however, in addition to these resources, you are able to access an online
repository of interview questions browseable
by discipline, skill-specific requirements, and
type of interview. If you are interviewing for a
communication position in public relations,
for example, you can now call up an extensive
listing of relevant, skill-specific questions you
may encounter and access tips on answering,
or generate a random sampling of questions
to simulate a practice interview. In addition,
you are able to link to on-demand learning
modules about interviewing skills and search
a database of student profiles to view other
students’ experiences in the organization or
position you are interested in. You can even
contact that specific co-op student online and
gain the inside scoop on how to impress that
employer and land your dream job.
Sound too good to be true? Well, imagine
no longer. In the fall of 2004, Co-operative
Education will be launching Our Co-op
Learning Community for co-op students,
alumni, employers and staff. For co-op
students, the value of an online community
will lie in its ability to create a sense of
continued on page 3
“this dynamic new
community will . . .
. . . serve as
an important
resource for
students”
2
Communiqué
Fall 2004
Co-op Learning Community continued from page 2
affiliation with the broader co-op community,
beyond a series of required workshops and
work terms. This dynamic new community
will also serve as an important resource for
students, providing help with work search
and interview preparation and presenting
excellent networking opportunities.
In addition to the Interview Database and
Community Profiles described above, some of
the exciting features include community news
on co-op and career- related topics; discussion
forums in which you will be able to share
experiences with fellow students, get advice
from experts, and rub e-shoulders with
employers and alumni; a calendar full of coop workshops, events, and other careerrelated activities offered on and off campus; a
portfolio gallery in which you can view
students’ work; as well as learning modules
on interviewing, career development, work
world trends, and job searching. And all of
this is just the beginning! The number of
interactive resources will just continue to
grow and expand as the community develops
and its members actively help to shape its
future direction.
If you are interested in contributing to the
community, prior to its launch, there are a
number of volunteer opportunities currently
available. Some of the areas for contribution
include researching and writing articles on
co-op and career-related topics, conducting
interviews (employers and alumni), assisting
with event coordination, developing promotional materials and contests, participating in
pilot testing for the community, joining our
student advisory team, or building and
showcasing your portfolio. Volunteering for
Our Co-op Learning Community is an excellent
way to expand your e-learning and online
skills, to build your portfolio, and to directly
influence the initial growth and development
of the community.
To learn more about the community and to
discover unique ways to become involved
prior to to the launch, please visit the most
recent edition of our community newsletter
available through Co-op’s main website at
www.sfu.ca/coop or register to volunteer by
contacting Quentin at qbeck@sfu.ca or
Willow at wmj@sfu.ca.
From Salwar to 3-Piece Suits continued from page 1
me for medical attention assuming that I’m some sort of foreign doctor.
It is sometimes difficult to explain how much I am indebted to these
communities for sharing their wisdom and disclosing their dilemmas,
all the while, it is also challenging to transfer all this understanding
into my life in Vancouver.
Taking a ride in India
My subsequent work terms with Industry Canada provided opportunities to see where sustainable development fits into the Canadian
context. Although most of my duties were to do with internal communications, my supervisors often granted me access to attend conferences and meetings that were relevant to my interests, such as the
Vancouver Agreement meetings, Hydrogen Fuel Cells Conference and
Aboriginal Business Conference. Usually over coffee, my co-workers
would also share their stories about working abroad and in rural
Canada. My manager always had advice or anecdotes to offer, if not
from personal experience, then through the eyes of his acquaintances.
To this day, everyone is still unabashed to share their wisdom on the
subject of my latest career and academic plans!
“
it has given me a
great head start
”
So from working in trenches of development projects in India and
Port Alberni, to observing planning and decision processes at the
government level, these work terms are snapshots of the breadth of
what sustainable development involves. This will definitely not be the
end of my involvement with sustainable development but it has given
me a great head start.
3
Communiqué
Fall 2004
Embracing the Awkward Times
The transition from school to work
By Cynthia Leung
Being in transition upon completing your
post-secondary education can be a daunting
experience. Back in high school, I was under
the false impression that jobs would be
waiting for me after completing my degree
and that university was just a step you had to
take to get to the jobs.
My first year at university was an eyeopening adventure filled with numerous
challenges and uncertainties as I soon
realized that the jobs would not be waiting for
me at the end of the road. But not only that,
statistics were showing that I would be
making a career change an average of seven
times in the future and that job security was a
thing of the past. As you can imagine, these
tidbits of information did little to ease my
anxiety, since I was still trying to decide what
to major in, let alone figure out what I
wanted to do in the working world. My
utopian view of the path to the “real world”
was crushed; things were going to be a lot
tougher than I had anticipated.
The first two years of university were
unpleasant as I felt overwhelmingly confused
with no sense of direction. After taking a
course in almost every faculty, I finally figured
out my passion— communication.
To make the story short, I survived
university. Ask me what I have learned
academically and I would have to think really
hard before naming a few term papers I have
written during my academic career. Ask me
the life lessons I’ve learned and I could talk
for hours on end. You see, everything works
4
“
out in the end— I’m almost positive.
So once you have your major picked out,
you are set academically. Career wise, that’s a
whole different story. Below is my advice for
those people in transition or nearing the
transition from university to the “real world.”
I must admit, I haven’t found my career or
dream job yet, but, by taking the initiative to
do everything and anything possible that
might potentially lead to a career, things
eventually should pay off in the end.
The big transition into the working world
to me is similar to the awkward dating stage.
It’s a strange feeling; your stomach is filled
with butterflies to the point where you almost
feel like passing out, but you won’t because
you are extremely excited. This phase is filled
with stress, uncertainties, and anxiety; but in
some aspects it is also very refreshing and
invigorating. I tell my girlfriends all the time
to just embrace this phase as it too will pass
with time. The best part is, once it’s all over
you can reminisce and laugh about it together.
So here are a few things you can do during
the transition from university to the “real
world” (a.k.a. the awkward stage in life) to ease
the process and embrace the uncertainties.
1. Research
Yes, we have all done this before. But read
every website, book, magazine, newspaper and
pamphlet on anything that is career-related.
Check out the career centre and go out on
those informational interviews. If you are
currently on a co-op term, talk to your co-
everything
works out
in the
end
Communiqué
Fall 2004
workers and supervisors or ask them to refer
you to someone else in their network. As one
of my mentors once told me: “Even if you
learned one thing, you are still better off than
you were before.” So put away some of that
cynicism and research away!
2. Set goals
Write your goals down on paper (personal
and career). Be honest with yourself and reevaluate regularly. By setting goals and reevaluating, you can track your progress and
record your key learnings. You will discover
many things about yourself this way. Also, if
you let your supervisors know what your goals
are, chances are they will make the extra
effort to ensure that you achieve them.
Remember, the short term co-op goals you
identified are essentially stepping stones
towards your future career goals.
3. Experience
Without experience you can’t get a job and
without a job you can’t get experience. Break
this cycle as soon as possible. Co-op, volunteer work, summer jobs and internships are
all great ways to obtain a wide variety of
experience. The opportunities are out there!
4. Network
A great way to build relationships and obtain
more knowledge about different industries
and professions. Join a club, a professional
organization or your local chamber of
commerce. Keep in touch with those people
you work with during co-op as they may hold
the key to one of your potential dream jobs.
Similarly, you may be able to help them out
by exchanging knowledge and introducing
them to contacts in your network.
5. Actively participate
Workshops, luncheons and presentations
happen every day and offer both learning and
networking opportunities. Find out when they
are happening and go to them (take a friend
for moral support if needed). Luncheons
often feature speakers who are influential in
their community (these are the people who
you want to absorb information from). While
on co-op, actively engage in any opportunities
available such as representing your organization at community events, participating in
educational seminars, attending special
events, or coordinating an office fundraiser/
campaign.
6. Stay in the loop
In the process of this chaos, don’t forget
about your friends and family. Your brother
may call you an eager-beaver and your parents
may have a permanently-concerned look on
their face, but still, keep them updated.
Don’t worry if you don’t have your dream
job lined up right after graduation - the
majority of us don’t. I wish you good luck,
and, when everything has settled, don’t forget
to laugh and reminisce about the awkwardness that preceded it, because that’s the best
part of the journey.
SFU
r A
5
Communiqué
Fall 2004
Where Are They Now?
Erin McInnis scores big with co-op
By Mandeep Sidhu
What is Erin McInnis’s most urgent advice to
current SFU students? “Do co-op!” The
Communication major and English minor
graduated in May of 2003 with six work terms
under her belt and credits the co-op program
with getting her to where she is today.
“If it wasn’t for co-op, I would not be
where I am today. Not just the work experience, but the whole co-op process contributed
to my success,” says McInnis.
McInnis began her co-op experience with
BC Advanced Systems Institution as an Event
Planning Assistant. At that time, she was set
on a career in publishing and adamant about
being an editor someday.
“I was hesitant at first when offered the
job, but took it because half the time I would
be doing some book editing,” she says. At the
end of the eight-month term, she realized that
becoming an editor was no longer her goal
and notes, “That is what is good about co-op
Erin McInnis
cozies up with
Fin, the
Canucks
mascot
6
—it not only shows you what you want to do,
but also what you do not want to do.”
Her next position was at Electronic Arts
Canada, which she credits getting because
she met an EA employee while working at
ASI. “Networking is key in any job, but
especially in the communications field,” says
McInnis. She completed a year-long term at
EA and went back to school thinking about
graduation but still wanting to complete
another work term.
McInnis applied for the recurrent position
of Community Relations assistant with Orca
Bay and was turned down not once, but twice.
After inquiring about what she could improve
on in order to get the job next time around,
she learned that Orca Bay was worried that
the position would not be challenging
enough for someone with so much work
experience. As an enthusiastic Vancouver
Canucks fan, McInnis assured them that
would not be a problem and was offered the
job the following semester without even
applying.
After finishing co-op and graduating,
McInnis worked for Canuck Place Hospice
and eventually took over her former
supervisor’s position at Orca Bay in August of
2003. With the NHL lockout fast approaching, she left Orca Bay and began working
with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Committee
in July of 2004.
As a former co-op student who has also
been involved in the hiring process, McInnis
offers some advice: “Let your personality
shine through in your resume and cover
letter. Present yourself at your interview well,
with no slouching and no looking at the
ceiling! And sending a thank-you note shows
you are interested in the position.”
And what is this seasoned co-op student’s
favourite co-op memory? “Standing on the
catwalk at General Motors Place and dumping confetti over the crowd after the Canucks
advanced to the second round during the
2002-2003 playoff season.”
Communiqué
Fall 2004
Meet the Faculty
An interview with Dr. Zoë Druick
By Elana Chan
In the movie Mona Lisa Smile, an art history
teacher used an advertisement to illustrate the
social roles expected of women. Sound
familiar? It should. Using ads and documentaries to study social changes is a well-known
interest of communication professor Zoë
Druick.
Although the topic of Mona Lisa Smile may
have made for a decent movie, what is of
interest for those of us in the co-op program
is what the study of the history of advertisement has to do with advertising and marketing today. To Dr. Druick, the past helps put
the present in perspective. As she puts it,
“Historical advertisements seem odd to our
eyes, so that makes them a great tool for
denaturalizing advertising today.”
The history of advertising gives us clues as
to what consumers needed and dreamt of in
the past. This is essentially what students in
marketing and communication do today:
getting to know the audience and delivering
advertising messages accordingly.
Dr. Druick also has an interest in documentaries. She believes advertising and
documentaries reflect the rapid changes in
society and act as effective media of communication.
“Modern advertising developed in the
1920s when mass consumption was on the
rise. Documentary film developed in the same
period also reflected many similar issues, and
informed people about the speedy changes in
society.”
Today, documentary films such as Michael
Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11, can have as much
impact on their audience as advertisements
Understanding the roles played by these
media are important to using them effectively.
Some students may already have the
opportunity to influence and work with these
media in co-op jobs and elsewhere. Aside
from bringing unique perspectives into the
classroom, Dr. Druick thinks that “co-op
seems to make students more confident about
their ability to function in the workplace.
Dr. Zoë
Druick,
Assistant
Professor,
School of
Communication
Sometimes, it makes students appreciate their
classes more, because they see what it will be
like after graduation—no time for reading!”
H
ave the
courage to
follow your
interests
She advises students to “have the courage
to follow your interests, both in school and at
the workplace.” Following her own advice, Dr.
Druick continues her research on the history
and politics of documentary films. She is
currently completing a book on the history
and social impact of the National Film Board
of Canada, in an international perspective.
7
Communiqué
Fall 2004
Editors:
Jessica Hume
Vandna Sidher
Design & Layout:
Jane Nunnikhoven
Contacts
Sangita Mudaliar
Program Assistant
RCBH 6142
604-291-5367
sangitam@sfu.ca
Marcia Shimizu
Co-op Coordinator
RCBH 6139
604-291-3862
mshimizu@sfu.ca
Erika Wah
Co-op Coordinator
RCBH 6145
604-291-5542
ewah@sfu.ca
8
Survey Says
Write for Communiqué!
By Jessica Hume, Co-Editor
The results are in from last issue’s reader
survey, and it’s a tall order for Communiqué.
Not that any of the 15 respondents (please
tell me that we have more than 15 readers!)
had any truly negative comments, unless you
consider “I think you are doing a great job”
negative. However, they did put in a large
order for what they want to see from the
Communiqué in the future:
59% would like to see more career advice
24% would like to see more networking tips
Another 24% would like to see more
interview tips
59% would like to see more career advice
24% would like to see more networking tips
29% would like to see more job search tips
47% would like to read more student’s
stories
65% voted the “Where are they now”
feature their favourite, with one respondent
wanting to see more of these
2 readers called for more humour and fun
in the newsletter (hey I’m trying!)
47% provided suggestions for other stories
including portfolio tips, a comparison with
other university co-op programs, meet the
co-op staff, and how to adjust to moving
back from an out-of-town co-op
First, I want to say congratulations to
Danielle Jang for winning the much-coveted
co-op mug. As well, I want to send a big
thank you out to all those who responded. I
really appreciate your comments and I hope
to see many of your suggestions in future
issues. But the neat thing about Communiqué
is that not only is it read by students, it is
written by students. So here is my portfolio
tip of the day: WRITE FOR COMMUNIQUÉ!
One of the most thoughtful comments
from the survey was from someone who
wanted to see not only the shiny face of co-op
but also the difficulties co-op students face
and overcome. In particular, this reader
wanted to see “brave writers addressing the
challenges of being a communication co-op
student.” You are those brave writers! If you
have something you want to see in
Statistics
Corner
04-2
03-2
Who we are
New admits
Returning students
Total students enrolled
29
65
94
52
73
125
Matching
Students matched
Self-directed co-ops
60
10
94
19
Who’s doing what
Eight-month term
First co-op
Second co-op
Third co-op
Fourth co-op
Fifth co-op
Part-time co-op
18
20
20
7
6
7
1
23
27
23
33
7
4
0
Where we’re working
Greater Vancouver
Out-of-town
Overseas
49
5
6
76
15
2
Who we’re working for
Federal government
Provincial government
Municipal government
Government agencies
Not-for-profit
Private
8
2
0
17
6
27
16
4
0
9
17
41
What other programs
we’re placed with
Arts Co-op
Business Co-op
8
9
n/a
n/a
Communiqué, take the initiative (most employers love initiative), and write the story. Not
only will you learn more if you research and
write about career tips than you would just
reading an article, but you’ll have one more
activity to put on your resume and one more
piece to go in your portfolio.
So get your name in print and next time you
get an email calling for writers, write back; you
won’t regret it!